Green
cars are all the rage today, and are being pumped out by auto manufacturers
from all around the world. Electric vehicles get their motivation from
batteries that can be charged by a power outlet. The catch is that pure EVs of
today have limited driving range and can take a long time to recharge making
them impractical for many.

Some drivers of the Nissan Leaf, one of the few true EVs on the market today,
have previously complained that the vehicle driving distance estimation is
often very off leaving some drivers stranded on the side of the road. The Leaf
also has a confusing EPA rating of 99mpg despite the
fact that it uses no gasoline.

Nisan has announced that it is aware of a new issue in which the Leaf will
not start. According to Nissan, the complaint has surfaced in both Japan and
the U.S.

Nissan is investigating the cause of the start failures right now and at this
time there is no intention of a recall since the issue isn't affecting safety
of the vehicle. Reuters reports that
Nissan has tracked the problem back to the Leaf air conditioning system.

At this point Nissan isn’t sure if the issue is with a component in the AC
system or with the software. Nissan spokesman Toshitake Inoshita said,
"When we know the exact cause, we will decide whether to issue a service
bulletin, or take other steps."

So far, the Leaf has sold 452 units in the U.S. and 3,300 units in Japan.
Exactly how widespread the issue is at this point is unknown.

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Most two-car households would probably get along just fine with one vehicle only having an 80 mile range.

I already have two vehicles, one high-cargo-capacity that is used for long traveling, camping, and hauling; and one high-mileage that is used for commuting and around-town errands. Right now, I could easily trade the high-mileage car for a plug-in. And if that car were to die tomorrow, I likely would replace it with a Leaf. (But I don't just throw cars away after 100,000 miles, either. So UNLESS it dies, it's not getting replaced any time soon.)

quote: Most two-car households would probably get along just fine with one vehicle only having an 80 mile range.

If it was 80 miles on a bad day AND it was $15k or less then that would work for us. $30k for just a commuter is ridiculous though. A Lamborghini Gallardo would be more practical. If you can afford to justify a car that ONLY does short commutes AND it must be new, the Leaf is the deal. I think the new Focus or even the Edge makes much more sense for us.

But I don't really get why people feel the need to round up significantly (4k) and say X dollar's isn't worth it.

Even if we look at 20 cent per kWh electricity, over 100,000 miles the Leaf costs ~31,000 in initial purchase price - Federal Rebate + Fuel costs. In California there is another 5,000 rebate, taking your outlay as 26,000 - Residual Value.

Even the Cheapest Civic, at 16k is going to cost 30,000 - Residual Value after 100,000 miles.

quote: All valid reason to dislike the Leaf. Cost? No, cost is not an issue thanks to those Federal Rebates.

Do they just hand you that cash at the time of purchase and take it off the bill, or is it a rebate that is applied to your total taxable income as a deduction?

For many it is the initial outlay that makes an EV cost prohibitive. For some it is more economically feasible to pay more over the life of the car than to be hit with more over a short period of time. Why doesn't the government just pay the car company the rebate amounts and let them take the price of the car down at the initial sale?

Of course the other problem I have with it is that I am paying for part of the rebate every time someone buys one of these. Plus if I wanted to buy one, they are not even for sale in my area, so I can't even take advantage of something that my taxes are funding.

quote: All valid reason to dislike the Leaf. Cost? No, cost is not an issue thanks to those Federal Rebates.

Cost IS an issue!!! Meter and service costs (some cities won't let you install a 2nd meter unless you get separate service..ask SCE about that) are real costs that real people are going to have to pay real money on. Ok, $26k then. STILL too much for a short range commuter car with extra costs for setup! If you have the cash, go for it. No value at all there for me. A used 2011/12 Focus will more than work without those extra costs.